Feeder for grain-binders.



J. LIN DNER.

FEEDER FOR GRAIN BINDBRS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1909.

943,978., Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

J. LIN DN ER.

FEEDER FOR GRAIN BINDERS. APPLICATION FILED JULY6,1909.

Patented Dem 21,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JOHN LINDNER, OF WACONIA, MINNESOTA.

FEEDER FOR GRAIN-BINDERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

Application filed July 6, 1909. Serial No. 506,141.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN LINDNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at lVaconia, in the county of Carver and State of Minnesota,have invented a new and useful Feeder for Grain-Binders, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a feeder adapted to positivelymove the grain along the grain deck of a binder to the bindingmechanism.

In self-binding harvesters now generally in use the grain is deliveredfrom the cutting apparatus by an elevator upon the top of a downwardlyinclined grain deck at the lower end of which is arranged the bindingmechanism. \Vhen the grain being harvested is damp, and when it hasfallen down and is short and thin it will not readily feed down thegrain table to the binding i'nechanism after it has been deposited uponthe top of the grain table or deck by the elevator. Such grain tends toadhere to the deck and to choke the binding mechanism. The presentinvention overcomes this objectionable feature, and can be readilyapplied to any form of harvesting machine now in general use.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a sectional view of one formof the grain feeder. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is adetail View of a standard used in the feeder. Fig. 1 is a sectional viewof another form of the feeder. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a portionof the feeder shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of stillanother form of the feeder. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion of theform of feeder shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a slidingbearing for the shaft used in the feeder. Fig. 9 is a longitudinalsectional view of an apron used in the feeder. Fig. 10 is a crosssectional View of said apron.

The grain feeder includes standards 1, which are adapted to be securedat their lower end portions to the frame-work of the binder to which theattachment is applied. One of these standards 1 is provided with abearing 2, while the other standard 1 is provided with a bearing 3,somewhat larger in diameter than the bearing 2. A sprocket wheel 4 isprovided with a laterally disposed hub or boss 5, which, in turn, isprovided with an annular groove 6, which is journaled in the bearing 3.The sprocket wheel 4 is geared up or engaged by the chain of theharvester which operates the binding mechanism. A crank-shaft 7 isjournaled at one end portion in the bearing 2, and at its other endportion is squared or non-circular as at S and is slidably mounted inthe hub of the sprocket wheel at. The said shaft 7 is also slidablymounted in the bearing 2. By this arrangement it will be seen that thecrank-shaft 7 may move longitudinally with relation to the bearing 2 andthe sprocket wheel 4:, and that the said sprocket wheel is held in arelatively fixed position upon the standard 1, but is free to rotate andmay also rotate the shaft 7.

A cross-bar 9 is slidably mounted above the head-plate 10 of the binder,and arms 11 project laterally from the said cross-bar over the graindeck of the binder. Braces 12 are interposed between the cross-bar andintermediate points of the said arms. The outer ends of the arms 11 arejournaled or are provided with bearings which receive intermediateportions of the crank-shaft 7 at the opposite ends of the crank 13thereof. Collars l-it are located upon the intermediate portions of thecrank-shaft 7 and are held in adjusted position by means of set screws15. One of said collars is located at each side of each of the arms 11,and thus means is provided for causing the cross-bar 9 to movelongitudinally as the shaft 7 is shifted in a similar manner through thebearings provided upon the standards 1.

A bearing 16 is journaled upon the crank 13 of the shaft 7. Agrain-forcing member 18- is located upon the bearing 16 and is heldthereon by means of a U-shaped clamp-bolt 19, which straddles theintermediate portion of the said grain-forcing member 18 and is securedby means of nuts to the said bearing 16. The member 18 preferablyconsists of an intermediate sleeve portion 20, in the lower end of whichis screw-threaded a finger 21, and in the upper end of which isscrew-threaded a rod 22. The portion 20 is adjustably secured inposition upon the bearing 16 by the U-bolt 19. The sleeve 20 servespractically as a turn-buckle connection between the finger 21 and therod 22, and it is apparent that, by rotating the said sleeve 20 withrelation to the said rod and finger, the member 18 may be longitudinallyextended or contracted. Thus it will be seen that means is provided foradjustably securing the member 18 with relation to the bearing 16, andalso means is provided for elongating or contracting the said member 18.Therefore, means is provided whereby the parts may be adjusted so thatthe grain feeder may be applied to binders of different makes, or tobinders of the same make which are operating upon grain under differentconditions. A bar member 23 is pivotally connected at one end with theupper end of the rod section 22 of the member 18, and at its other endis pivotally connected with the cross-bar 9; The said member 23 is alsomade up of sections in a manner similar to that described for theconstruction and arrangement of the several parts constituting themember 18, and thus the mounted member 23 is capable of being extendedlongitudinally or contracted, for the purpose of enabling the applianceto be used upon binders of different makes, as indicated.

To apply the attachment to a binder an opening 24 is cut in the board10, and it is through this opening that the finger section 21 of themember 18 projects. An apron 25 is approximately Ushaped incross-section and is attached at its ends to the inner sides of the arms11. Said apron 25 is provided, at an intermediate point, with anelongated slot 23, which is located over the opening 21 in the board 10.The finger section 21 of the member 18 passes through the slot 23 of theapron 25. The major portion of the said apron 25 lies upon the outerside of the board 10, but at its lower end portion the said apron 25 isprovided with flanges 27, which pass through the opening 2% and lieagainst the under surface of the board 10. The board 10 is held in fixedposition above the grain deck of the binder, but the apron 25 moves withthe movable portion of the binder mechanism and also with the crossbar 9and its attachments, and the finger section 21 of the member 18 is atall times in the same vertical plane as that occupied by the needle ofthe binding mechanism of the harvester.

From the above description it is obvious that as the crank shaft isrotated through the instrumentality of the movable portion of the binderhaving contact with the wheel 4, the crank 13 of the shaft is rotatedabout the axis of the shaft, and the finger section 21 of the member 18is reciprocated back and forth along the slot 23 in the apron 25, andthe member 18 is also moved longitudinally, so that the lower end of thefinger section 21 moves in an orbit substantially in the form of anellipse, and the said finger section 21 engages the grain as it passesfrom the delivery end of the grain-elevator upon the grain table, andthe grain thus engaged is forced down along the grain table toward thebinding mechanism. Inasmuch as the member 18 is in the same verticalplane as the needle of the binding mechanism, the grain, as the bundleapproaches maturity, receives compression at that point where the needlesurrounds the bundle and carries the twine around the same. Thus, whenthe bundle is completed, the grain straw has beencompressed to such anextent that the liability of the straw slipping from the twine loop isreduced to a minimum. Also, should the grain straw be damp it isimpossible for the same to lodge upon the grain deck and choke orotherwise interfere with the operation of the binding mechanism.

While the above form of arrangement of parts of the grain feeder ispreferred, there are other forms of assemblage of parts which mayaccomplish the same purpose. In another form of the invention the member18, bearing 16 and member 23 is dispensed with, and, in lieu thereof, abar 28 is pivotally connected with the crank 13 of the shaft 7, and isprovided with a series of teeth 29, which are adapted to project downthrough the slot 23 of the apron 25. The other end of the said bar 28 isslidably mounted in a bolster 30, which is pivotally mounted upon thecrossbar 9. In this form it will be seen that as the shaft 7 rotates,the teeth 29 upon the bar 28 are moved in an orbit, and that they mayforce the grain down the grain deck of the binder in a manner similar tothat above described.

In another form of the invention a guide 31 is fixed to the cross-bar 9,and a bar 32 is slidably mounted upon the said guide 31. Teeth 33 arefixed to the bar 32 and a coil spring 34: is connected at one end withthe bar 32, and at its other end with the cross-bar 9. A pitman ispivotally connected at one end with the crank 13 of the shaft 7, and atits other end is pivotally connected with the bar 32. In this form itwill also be seen that as the shaft 7 rotates the pitman 35 will bereciprocated and such reciprocatory movement will be transmitted to thebar 32, and the teeth 33 thereof will force the grain down the deck ofthe harvester. As the bar 32 moves away from the bar 9 the tension ofthe spring 3% is increased, and upon the retractive stroke of the bar 32the tension of the said spring 34 assists the pitman 35 in drawing thebar 32 toward the bar 9.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure, by Letters Patent, is z- 1. In combination with abinder acrossbar mounted upon the binder-head, a crankshaft journaled forrotation upon the binder and slidably mounted in its bearings, meansconnecting the crank-shaft with the crossbar to cause the same to movelongitudinally simultaneously, a longitudinally extensible bar pivotedupon the crank of the shaft, and a member operatively connecting one endof the said bar with the first said bar.

9. In combination with a binder a crossbar mounted upon the head of thebinder, a crank-shaft journaled for rotation upon the binder, andslidably mounted in its bearings, means connecting the crank-shaft withthe cross-bar to cause the same to move longitudinally simultaneously, alongitudinally extensible member pivotally mounted upon the crank of thesaid shaft, and a longitudinally extensible member operatively connecting one end of the first said extensible member with the said cross-bar.

3. In combination with a binder a crossbar mounted upon the binder-head,a crank shaft jourualed upon the binder and slidably lnounted in itsbearings, means connecting 1 the crank-shaft with the cross-bar to causethe same to move longitudinally simultaneously, a bearing mounted uponthe crank of said shaft, a longitudinally extensible member adj ustablyconnected with said bearing, and a longitudinally extensible barconnected at one end with one end of the said longitudinally extensiblemember, and at its other end with the said cross-bar.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOIIN LINDNER.

Vitnesses F. J. Erruurz, J .B. lta'xnx.

